A fierce battle with East against West has been ongoing for decades, but it seems the East is taking the lead right here in Lenoir County.

Kinston’s Hog Happenin’ cook-off is purported to be the largest barbecue competition in the state — beating out the western tomato-based competitions by a few boar bristles.

The cook-off is the highlight of the four-day 32nd annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse, which will start Wednesday and features 80 barbecue teams competing on Saturday.

“We are busting at the seams,” said Tammy Kelly, chairwoman of the cook-off. “If we keep the number at 80, that would make us the largest whole hog barbecue cook-off.”

The event is sponsored by the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce and sanctioned by the N.C. Pork Council.

Jan Parson, director of the festival and special projects and events with the Chamber, said she expects about 25,000 people to attend this weekend and hopes the hotels will be filled.

“It’s important to have a signature event,” Parson said. “Also, people identify Kinston with hospitality.”

That hospitality doesn’t include the acceptance of Western N.C. barbecue, according to Lenoir County Manager Tony Sears, who called the sugary red western sauce anywhere beyond Chatham County “shameful.”

“Eastern North Carolina barbecue is made with vinegar and a kick,” he said, naysaying the “communist propaganda” that the famous Lexington barbecue is better.

Jeff Yourdon, program chairman for Lenoir Community College’s culinary arts program and a native of upstate New York, said he had to thin out his tomato-based sauce over the years at the festival competition because he just wasn’t winning.

“In the cooking part,” he said, “if I placed in the middle, that’s first place for me.”

Frank Gregg of Newport, on the other hand, is a regular winner at competitions around the state, and so is his daughter Taylor. He won first place in Kinston last year and equates his success with “trial and error,” and, of course, it’s Eastern-style barbecue.

The festival will have several new events this year, including the Sauce Boss competition, wine garden, Teen Nation Tour 2013, arts and crafts market, Inners rides and a third stage on Herritage Street near Blount Street.

“This event is going to be bigger, better and greater than years past,” said Laura Lee Sylvester, executive director of the Chamber, “because we have many more activities added to the schedule.”

The Sauce Boss, sponsored by Our State magazine, has already attracted 23 applicants. Festival-goers can sample the sauces and vote for their favorites by purchasing a $5 wristband.

The sauce competition is named in memory of Jim Ferrell of Newport, also known as the Boss Hog, who passed away recently, Kelly said.

Page 2 of 5 - “We thought this would be a cool way to honor him,” Sylvester said. “I mean, he really has done a lot for our contest.”

Samuel Jones of Ayden’s Skylight Inn will be pit-cooking a farm-raised pig to be sampled with the competition sauces.

Six North Carolina wineries will be selling samples of their products by the glass behind the Red Room on North Street.

The Teen Nation Tour will feature seven teen recording artists, including Tristan Blaine and Riley Roth, who will be promoting anti-bullying through music on Saturday. Teen Nation can be found on Facebook.

The arts and crafts market will be open Friday and Saturday at 118 W. Blount St., featuring artisans from across the state on Friday and Saturday. The Community Council for the Arts will have a table set up as the official site for festival poster sales. Plein air paintings and artwork created by individuals from Caswell Developmental Center will be available for purchase.

A documentary film produced by Cynthia Hill of Pink Hill — “Tobacco Money Feeds My Family” — can be viewed at the market, as well.

There will be a dozen carnival rides, including a Ferris wheel, in the middle of Pearson Park.

4-H donkey drop bingo is a new game where each participant pays $5 to rent a piece of “property” in hopes that Snickerdoodle, the 4-H donkey, will drop her business there. The winner will receive half of the ticket sales. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Cooperative Extension Center on N.C. 11 South or by calling 252-527-2191.

An opening ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday will include Col. Joe Tyson, chairman of the Kinston-Lenoir County Tourism Development Authority and mayor pro tem of Kinston. Contact Bonnie and Herman McLawhorn to participate in the Walk of Honor/Salute at 252-560-4440.

The farmers market will be open and statewide members of Got to be NC can set up around the market, Kelly said.

Murphy will be giving away at least one golden key award at 1 p.m. Saturday on the main stage to someone who has benefited the community, but hasn’t been recognized for it.

There will be lots of entertainment, including the highlighted bands The Entertainers on Friday and the Seaside Band on Saturday.

Adrian King, executive director of the Pride of Kinston, said the downtown restaurants, in particular, benefit from the festival.

“It’s a big economic boost for the town,” he said. “… It’s how a lot of people get acquainted with the town.”

Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.